Closure
by damageddementia
Summary: Bret's Guest Host turn forces Shawn, Hunter, and Bret to all confront the emotions and truths they've been running from. ***Permanent Hiatus***
1. Closure

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the following wrestlers, or any of the events that actually happened on camera, or anything else mentioned that is recognizable.**

**I respect the actual beliefs and sexualities of the following wrestlers.**

**I've got to dedicate this fic to slashburd- she's the one who inspired it, after we did an RP. I got sidetracked with this, but hey, I think I'll have fun with it. There's some angst, sexual content, and mentions of a threesome. Oh yeah, and this is slash. Like always. I'm not going to say the predictable four words, but I think you know what'll happen if you move on from this point and read on if you're not fully kosher with the elements here. That's it for now, read on, and enjoy.**

**Part One: Closure**

Shawn Michaels stood in front of the room, shivering, two pairs of eyes roaming shamelessly over his naked body. All he was wearing were his cowboy boots, which one of the people looking at him requested, and Bret Hart's shades, which the other viewer requested. He couldn't believe he was standing in front of Bret Hart and Hunter Hearst Helmsley, two men who he thought hated each other, both of their lust filled eyes roaming over his body. Bret licked his lips slowly, invitingly, and crooked his finger, beckoning Shawn over. Hunter nodded, telling Shawn to listen to Bret.

He gulped, thinking about how a lot could change in just a couple of days.

* * *

Two days ago, Shawn put his clothes into his locker, changing into his DX gear. He was trying to keep himself from looking too anxious, but he couldn't help but wonder what Bret's return meant for him. Sure, he told Vince that nothing but good things could happen, but he couldn't help but question it. It was one thing to so proudly proclaim that when Bret was still in Canada, but another thing entirely when Bret was in the same building as he was.

At times like this, Shawn would usually talk to one of his friends, but Scott and Kevin had their hands full with TNA's show tonight, and Hunter, his lover, was probably strapping Hornswoggle to a rocket to see if Leprechauns could breathe in space. Shawn kept trying to tell himself to be strong, that he and Bret were way passed over, but Bret's face kept bugging him. He couldn't help but wonder- what would happen tonight?

"Shawn?" Shawn turned around quickly, finding himself face to face with Hunter.

"Oh," Shawn said, calming down, "Hey Hunter. Where's Swoggle?"

"He wanted to meet Bret," Hunter said, "And, well, I don't need to see his smug face." Hunter's animosity towards Bret made Shawn relax a little- some things never changed, and his lover was one of them.

Shawn noticed that Hunter was staring at him, and he said, "What?" Hunter kept quiet, and then Shawn prodded again. "What?"

"I told you not to do anything stupid," Hunter said, "And the first thing you did when I turned my back was tell Vince to bring Bret back."

Shawn shook his head. "We already talked about this for over a _week_, Hunter. This is about closure. Neither he nor I want to be remembered because of that incident instead of our accomplishments."

"Sure. And the fact that you've buried the Screwjob beneath your new religious outlook and various amazing programs means nothing, I guess; they'll still remember you as the guy who screwed Bret."

Shawn crossed his arms. "I don't appreciate the sarcasm, Hunter."

"Whatever. And you and I both know what kind of closure Bret wants." Hunter snapped.

"What kind of closure is that, Hunter?"

"You know. Don't act innocent." Hunter moved closer to Shawn, putting his hand on his cheek. "Neither of you two forgot that you were once lovers, and I'm willing to bet both of you remember exactly how the other feels."

"I don't want Bret," Shawn said.

"Are you sure?" Hunter said, pushing Shawn towards the lockers. Shawn's back hit the cool metal, momentarily stunning him while Hunter moved closer. "Are you sure?" he repeated, allowing a hand to slip up his DX shirt and fondle the skin under it. "You never forget, not when you really love somebody." Shawn wiggled a little, but it was more pushing into Hunter's hand then trying to escape. Hunter's fingers flicked over nipples and traced patterns into Shawn's skin, making the Texan writhe even more. "And I remember how much you loved Bret."

Hunter almost blanched at the memory of how Shawn, the Shawn he wanted and loved, only had eyes for Bret Hart. At the time, he wished something would happen to split them up, something would happen that would allow Hunter to finally have Shawn.

He dismissed the memory. Shawn was his now, not Bret's. Shawn was his for over seven years, and he wasn't going to lose Shawn to Bret now.

Hunter's hand went lower, this time heading for the waist of Shawn's chaps, but Shawn grabbed Hunter's hand, stopping his progress. "Why'd you stop me, sexy boy?" Hunter asked. He followed Shawn's eyes to the door, and this time he heard it: a knock. Hunter sighed, ready to kick the ass of whoever stopped what was about to happen.

He opened the door, surprised to see Natalya Neidhart at the door. He rolled his eyes; when it wasn't one person from that damned family trying to ruin his sex life, it was another. "Yes?" Hunter asked.

Natalya looked passed him straight at Shawn, who looked a lot more composed than he felt after Hunter's assault. "Uncle Bret wants you to stand in the Gorilla position," Natalya said.

"Why?" Hunter asked. Shawn, meanwhile, stood silent in his shock; he couldn't believe Bret wanted him to stand at the ready way before he was even needed.

Natalya glared at Hunter before turning back to Shawn and saying, "Well? Are you coming?" Hunter opened his mouth to protest, but Shawn pushed off the lockers and walked to Natalya. "Let's go," Shawn said.

Hunter grabbed Shawn's arm, making Shawn look up at him. "Then I'm coming with you."

"No. Stay," Shawn said, pulling his arm out of Hunter's grasp, "Look, Hunt, this is a good chance for the both of us to bury the hatchet. Let us put our differences to rest."

"What, I don't have things to put to rest with Bret?" Hunter asked, "Last I checked, I was a part of this too."

"Hunter, just let me finish this," Shawn said, "I mean it. If I see you anywhere near the entrance to the ring, anywhere at all, I won't be returning to the room." Shawn walked away, and Hunter stared after him. _Did Shawn just give me a fucking ultimatum? What the hell? _Hunter walked out of the locker room and went to watch what was happening on the TV. While he didn't want to upset Shawn, he definitely was not going to sit back and twiddle his thumbs while Shawn was left to Bret's whims.

Hunter shivered, the thought bringing to mind the old fantasies he had back in the earlier years of his career, about Shawn and Bret. He could imagine Bret's hands holding Shawn's arms down, fingers wrapping around Shawn's wrists like manacles, before propelling forward, nibbling at Shawn's lips with his own. He could picture it perfectly, how Shawn's beautiful blonde hair would frame his face like a halo, and how Bret would look almost devilish above him, the dark hair falling over his and Shawn's faces as Bret pulled in for the kill-

Hunter bid the thoughts away, his dominant side telling him that he wanted Bret nowhere near his Shawn. But his other half, the half he didn't fully wish to admit to, wondered what it would be like to see Shawn and Bret together. Heck, a part of him wanted to get his hands on the hitman himself, to make him into a groaning slut while Shawn watched.

Hunter laughed as he got to the video room. Bret probably wanted nothing to do with Hunter, and there was no way Bret was ever going to get his hands on his Shawnie ever again. It was just a silly fantasy-

"And the very first thing I want to do is call back there and ask Shawn Michaels to come out here!"

******************

Shawn froze, not expecting to hear that come out of Bret's mouth. Bret wanted him to come to the ring? He wanted to do this in front of all these people?

Shawn took a deep breath. He had no choice, it seemed. If he wanted to put things behind him, if he wanted to leave behind his checkered past with Bret, then he had to confront him on his terms. If he didn't, the world would remember him as the person who refused to face Bret Hart after calling him harmless.

Shawn went to the entrance, the opening sighs in his theme ringing in his ears. He kept his eyes on Bret, who stood there, looking a lot better than a man whose been through half of the things Bret has. Bret's eyes were also focused on Shawn, making Shawn feel a lot more uncomfortable than he would've liked.

_Maybe I should have let Hunter come with me. _But no, that would've been a show of Shawn's untrustworthy nature, not that Shawn meant no harm. It had to be like this. It had to be just Shawn and Bret if they wanted to put this to rest.

Bret, meanwhile, was anxious, watching Shawn walk slowly down the ramp. The television didn't do Shawn justice at all; it couldn't capture the true magic of his eyes, his hair, or anything else about him. Bret swallowed the feelings, knowing this wasn't about getting back with Shawn. He and Shawn were over; Shawn lost his chance when he chose work, chose Vince, chose _Hunter_ over him. This was about closure.

And Bret could believe it if the blue eyes weren't so damned hypnotizing.

Shawn pulled himself into the ring and walked over to Bret. The conversation was almost a blur in Shawn's mind- he couldn't even tell you what he said. All he knew was that, in his head, in an endless refrain, he kept repeating _I'm over Bret _in some vain hope that he could eventually believe himself.

Bret put his hand out, and Shawn stared at it, wondering if he could really accept this truce. But slowly, even though he hadn't made up his mind to say yes, he raised his hand and grasped Bret's, shaking it. After a few tense seconds, Shawn pulled away and began to walk away, only to turn back and look into Bret's eyes.

Shawn stopped, realizing that the hand shake wasn't enough for him. It wasn't enough for Bret either- he kept staring at Shawn, staring at the man he once loved, and he silently begged him to come back. There had to be more to this moment, and they both knew it.

Shawn made the first move. The crowd kept hushed, thinking a Sweet Chin Music might come next, but he went over and wrapped an arm around Bret's neck. He didn't want to get too close, but at the same time, he wanted to show Bret that they could put the past behind them. Suddenly, Bret's arm was around him, and he was patting Shawn's back.

Shawn was about to pull away when Bret's hand got a little more forceful on his back, and his other hand pushed something into his pocket. Shawn tried not to react, afraid of letting his shock show on his face. Bret tapped Shawn's pocket, reminding him of the object's presense before letting him go. Shawn moved away and walked out of the ring, wanting to dig into his pocket badly, to look at what Bret put in there, but he kept walking.

He knew it couldn't be too big; he could hardly feel it. As soon as Shawn was in the back, he leaned against the wall and pulled something thin and plastic out of his pocket- it was a room key. Shawn ran his fingers over it, knowing the key was to Bret's room. _We both knew we couldn't do everything that needs to be done in front of prying eyes. Maybe this is the only way. _But Shawn hadn't been so petrified in his whole life. He couldn't believe how much Bret effected him in those few minutes.

_I'm with Hunter. I'm over Bret. I'm with Hunter. I'm over Bret. _Shawn kept repeating it over and over. Hunter had done so much for him. Hunter was the one who picked him back up when he was at his lowest point, the one who helped him become the man he was today. But damn it, for those minutes, he was back in Bret's orbit, like nothing had changed since 1996, when things started conspiring to break them up.

Shawn only hoped that he and Bret could finally put everything behind them, and he and Hunter could go back to being happy.

* * *

Hunter stood up, watching Shawn leave. He didn't like the hug at all. The handshake he could take, but he couldn't take the hug. Not after everything Shawn and Bret had went through. Bret had no right to touch Shawn, not now that he was Hunter's.

_Yeah right, Helmsley. You just wish it was a little more private, so you could see that secret fantasy of yours play out._

Hunter refused to entertain the thought. Bret was everything Hunter hated; he was rigid, he was stubborn, and he once had Shawn. But he remembered, those lonely nights wishing he held Shawn in his arms, he'd imagine Bret and Shawn together. _Snap out of it. You can't think about that. Think about how Shawn's feelings. What is Shawn feeling, anyway? Is he alright? What if he needs me?_

Hunter prided himself in being able to read Shawn, but he couldn't read him, not for those few minutes. Not when he was interacting with the Excellence of Execution. Hunter was going to find Shawn, and he was going to remind himself how lucky he was to have Shawn, how happy he was with him. But the old fantasies pulled at his mind, bothering him until all he could see were the scenes playing over and over again.

_Bret lay on a large king sized bed, wearing only a pair of sweatpants. He looked up at the ceiling quietly when the door to the bathroom opened. Bret's eyes moved to the door and his breath caught in his throat as he saw his angel._

_Shawn stood there, a towel wrapped around his waist and Bret's shades on his face. His blond hair was loose, just the way Bret liked it. He sat up and said, "What do you think you're doing?"_

_Shawn grinned. "Don't you think they look good on me?" He walked over, the towel moving with him, teasing by showing a little of the blonde's waistline. He bent over the bed, closer to Bret, making Bret's breath quicken. "What do you think?"_

_Bret responded by pulling Shawn onto the bed roughly, making the Texan giggle as Bret rolled Shawn under him._

Hunter's eyes squeezed shut, trying to banish the pictures from his mind, but all he could see was Bret touching his Shawn, Bret making his Shawn moan and writhe. Hunter often said that Shawn would tease and then Hunter would pounce- it was the natural order of things. But somehow, he liked the idea of Shawn teasing someone else, of someone else pouncing Shawn. And that someone else was Bret Hart.

_Shawn belongs to me. Not to Bret. _Hunter grinned, unable to lie to himself anymore. Yes, he loved Shawn, but he couldn't deny the attraction he had to Bret. Or, more specifically, to Bret and Shawn's relationship.

_Yeah right. Like that would ever happen. _Hunter opened the door to the locker room, seeing Shawn laying down on the bench. "Well, don't you look just fuckable?"

Shawn looked up, smiling. "Hey Hunt." Shawn got up and walked over, crossing his arms. "So, you want to talk about our tag match."

"No." Shawn's eyebrow shot up, and he said, "Why not?"

"Because I have a better idea." Shawn found himself being hoisted up, Hunter's hands wrapping his legs around his midsection.

"Are you crazy?" Shawn said, looking into Hunter's eyes.

"If I am, you made me that way," Hunter whispered, carefully rubbing one of Shawn's thighs. Shawn closed his eyes and swallowed, almost as if he was giving in, but then Shawn pushed at Hunter's chest.

"I'm not in the mood," he said, "And besides, what if 'Swoggle comes in?"

"We'll lock the door," Hunter said, before leaning in and nibbling on Shawn's collar.

"Hunter- I mean it." Shawn pushed him away again, and Hunter finally let him down. Shawn put himself back together, calming himself down, but then Hunter said, "Is this about Bret?"

"I'm over him," Shawn said, in a tone that said 'drop it'.

"Can't we at least talk about it?" Hunter said, "I mean, maybe it'll make you feel better-"

Shawn thought about the key in his pocket, but decided involving Hunter would just ruin things. "We got our closure," Shawn said, "I'm over him. It's over." Shawn moved closer to Hunter before hugging him. "Now we can focus on our upcoming match."

_Shawn's lying. _Hunter pulled his fingers through Shawn's hair, deciding to wait for Shawn to share when he was ready. "Okay. Let's focus on the match."

*******************

Bret sat in the chair in his office, thinking about what just happened. He couldn't believe how much control the damned Texan still had over him. He put on as much bravado as possible, and hoped he didn't sound too much like a novice out there. As much as he wished it wasn't true, Shawn still held a place in his heart.

He needed to talk to Shawn privately, and it could happen if Shawn used the key. Maybe, when they were less reserved and more honest, he could figure out how he felt. _Montreal was supposed to be the end. But, sheesh, I can't stop thinking about him._

He wondered about Shawn, about Shawn's life. How were Shawn's injuries cooperating with him? What had he been doing lately? Was Shawn with anyone? (Stupid question, Shawn couldn't be single) He wanted to know everything but was afraid of it at the same time. There were so many things he and Shawn had to discuss, and when it was all done, how would things change?

_I'm willing to take the chance if you are, Shawn. _Bret stared at the ceiling. He gave complete power to Shawn; now it was all in his hands. Bret's future relied on whether or not Shawn wanted to use the key. He hated giving up control, but he knew that, if he was going to show Shawn that they could become friends, he had to do something.

It was all about closure. If Shawn came to his room, then they could finally find their closure.


	2. Caustic

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the following wrestlers, or any of the events that actually happened on camera, or anything else mentioned that is recognizable.**

**I respect the actual beliefs and sexualities of the following wrestlers.**

**Yeah, I'm back. If you followed the RP between slashburd and myself, chances are you'll recognize this a LITTLE, but not that much. Things were changed for flow's sake. Thanks, everyone whose reading and reviewing, and... enjoy.**

**

* * *

**

**Part Two: Caustic**

_**Caustic (kôstk): adj. Capable to destroy or eat away at a substance.**_

Shawn just laughed as Hunter and Hornswoggle made fun of Chris Irvine, who clearly looked upset and like he wanted nothing more than to get away. It was so easy to forget the key that was burning a hole in his pocket when they were acting silly; it was one of the reasons he loved being with Hunter at work. Nothing was expected from him; nothing but to just goof off and sell merchandise, two things he did very well.

Chris growled at them before leaving, and Hunter turned to Shawn. "It's just too easy sometimes." Hunter grinned and yelled, "Hey Chris? Say hi to the folks at Smackdown for me." Chris shot Hunter the middle finger without turning around. "That's not very PG, Jericho!"

"Can't you see how disappointed he was?" Shawn asked.

"He'll get over it." Hunter wrapped his arm around Shawn's shoulder and said, "Come on, let's get out of here."

Shawn knew that Bret, after everything was said and done, would celebrate. The Hart Dynasty brats made it known that they were going to come out to thank their uncle. Shawn wanted to make a first step in the right direction of friendship and show him that he thought he did a great job. He wanted to be a part of it. "Can't we stay?" Shawn asked, "I mean, don't you want to see what Vince is going to do?"

Hunter couldn't help but read into that question; what Shawn was really asking was does he want to see what Vince was going to do to Bret. Hunter didn't want Shawn anywhere near Bret, not considering their history. "I'm kind of tired, Shawn," Hunter said, the lie slipping easily from his lips, "I just want to get to the hotel, get some sleep." Hunter held Shawn closer, feeling protective of him. He didn't want to allow Bret another chance to hurt Shawn, or to take him from him.

"Alright," Shawn said, "Let's go." Shawn wrapped his arm around his waist and leaned against him, allowing Hunter to lead them to the back so that they could get their bags and leave. Hunter finally felt comfortable, knowing that they could leave this nonsense behind them.

_As soon as we get out of here, we'll never have to see Bret freaking Hart again. There, Shawn got his resolution. Now, we can go on like before._

* * *

Bret couldn't help but smile as people clapped for him and hugged him, reminding him of how many people in the back were actually affected by what he did for wrestling. He watched the entrance, hoping Shawn would come through the door and come down to congratulate him. Every now and then, his attention would be pulled away from the ramp, but then his eyes went back as soon as possible.

They forgave each other not even two hours ago, so Shawn should have come out. Eventually, he stopped watching the door and just decided to enjoy the moment, surrounded by old colleagues, family members, and people whose lives his carrer touched. After it was done, he wrapped his arm around Natalya one last time and went to the back, mind returning to the idea of Shawn's notable absence.

There were so many reasons flinging through Bret's head, some good, some bad, but all of them felt wrong. The only one who could put his mind to rest was Shawn, and he knew going to his locker room would be a bad idea; there was always Hunter.

Even thinking about Hunter's name made Bret angry. Hunter had a lot less reason to hate him than Shawn, but seemed to hate him a lot more than the Texan did. Hunter hung around them like a leech, and then began to crusade against Bret when he and Shawn showed signs of turmoil. It was then that Bret realized that Hunter was hanging around them because he was waiting for his chance to take Shawn from him.

He wasn't naive enough to blame Hunter for their break up, but he knew Hunter couldn't wait to pick up the scraps from it. He was like a vulture that way, picking at the remains of Bret and Shawn's relationship with that beak he called a nose, until he finally got what he wanted.

Bret stopped the next person he saw in the hall, Santino Marella. "Yes?" Santino said, happy to just be noticed by _the _Bret Hart.

"Could you do me a favor?" Bret asked. Santino nodded eagerly, and Bret said, "Could you tell me where D-Generation-X is?"

"Oh, they left before," Santino said, "I think it was during your segment with Mr. McMahon."

"Thanks," Bret said, patting Santino's shoulder. Santino smiled and walked off, and Bret leaned against the wall. _Why did they leave so early? _Well, it would be another question to ask Shawn when- if- he came to his room. _Oh yeah, have to get a new key from reception once I get to the hotel. Didn't think that through._

But it was fair to say that Bret wasn't thinking anything through when he and Shawn were talking. He was caught off guard, even though he was the one who initiated the encounter. "Hey Uncle Bret?" Bret turned around, seeing David Hart Smith behind him.

"Yes?"

"Some of us want to take you out to eat," he said, "Can you come?"

"Maybe another night, David," Bret said, "I'm feeling tired tonight."

David nodded. "Okay. It was great to see you here, Uncle Bret."

"It was great to be here," Bret said, his voice filled with genuine honesty. He couldn't deny that the ring was like a second home to him, and even just being a mouthpiece, an authority figure, was good enough for him. Bret waved goodbye to David and began to head to the parking lot. While he did want sleep, he had a bigger reason to go back: he didn't want Shawn to go to his room and not find him there.

*****************

Shawn and Hunter got to their room, and Hunter dug in his pocket. "Damn," Hunter said. He opened his bag and began digging through it. "I must've put it in my bag-"

"Let me get it," Shawn said. He dug in his pocket and pulled out the key, sticking it into the reader slot. It glowed red, and Shawn realized he tried to open the door with Bret's key. Shawn quickly stashed the key away and pulled his own out, opening the door.

"Whose is that?" Hunter asked, staring at Shawn's pocket curiously.

"Oh, I just found it at the venue," Shawn said, trying to brush it off.

"Ah." Hunter threw his bag onto the floor, and said, "Hey, why didn't you return that? You could've left it at the front desk."

"Good point," Shawn said, pulling the key out of his pocket. "I'll do that now." Of course, Shawn was just going to pace a little, make Hunter think he went downstairs, while still wondering whether or not he should use the key.

"Don't worry about that; I'll do it, babe," Hunter offered. Shawn blanched; the last thing he needed was Hunter to do that. What if the desk clerk told him who the key belonged to? And worse- what if Shawn lost his one chance to fix things with Bret?

Hunter walked over, and Shawn said, "No, it's fine, I'll do it."

"Come on Shawn, just give me the key so you can get comfortable," Hunter said, "I'll be back in no ti-"

"Hunter!" Shawn said, snapping harder then he intended to, "I'll do it." Hunter's eyebrow raised, and he continued walking closer to Shawn, his lover's tone making Hunter very suspicious about the whole matter. He snatched the key quickly, making Shawn gasp. "What'd you do that for?"

"Whose is this?" Hunter asked angrily.

"I don't know Hunter, I just found it lying arou-" Shawn started, but Hunter said, "You're lying. I know you are. Now whose is this?"

"What do you mean, I'm lying?" Shawn said, standing up so he could at least feel on par with Hunter, "I said I found it. Don't you trust me?"

"Don't try to turn this around on me!" Hunter shouted, "Now whose. Is. This?"

"I found it," Shawn said, sticking to his story.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"So if I went to-" Hunter held up the card between him and Shawn, so Shawn could see it, getting a clear message of what Hunter was threatening. Hunter read the room number before saying, "If I went to room 713, and just dropped the key off there, you'd be perfectly alright with that?"

"Come on," Shawn said, reaching for the key, but Hunter put it out of his reach, using his height advantage to keep Shawn away from the key.

"Try me, Shawn." Hunter said, staring deep into Shawn's eyes. "You could stick by that story, but if you do, I'm going to that room and I'm not leaving until I figure out whose staying there. Of course, if you really just found it, you wouldn't care if I did that, right?" Hunter paused, letting his words sink in. "Last chance, Shawn. Do you want to change your statement?"

Shawn returned Hunter's glare angrily before making his move, lunging forward. Shawn tried to grab the key again, but Hunter, ready for this possibility, wrapped his arm around him and pulled his back into his chest, holding him against his body. "Let go of me," Shawn said.

"I thought we trusted each other," Hunter accused.

"We do."

"Then whose key is this?"

Shawn looked down at his feet, feeling a whole bunch of things he couldn't put into words. He was still mad at Hunter, but Hunter had a point that Shawn couldn't deny. It was shame, ire, sadness, and regret all rolled into one. "It's Bret's." The words slipped out of Shawn's lips in a soft tone laced with every single emotion he felt. It all tugged at Shawn's heart, almost pulling it apart, making Shawn want nothing more than to just disappear.

"Bret Hart's?" Hunter said. Shawn nodded, and Hunter grew angrier. He held Shawn tighter before saying, "This is Bret Hart's key? You somehow have Hart's key, and you didn't tell me?"

"It's about putting the past behind us," Shawn said, but to Hunter, it sounded like another excuse. He thought Shawn cared about him, and then he finds out that he was lying about going to see an ex lover, someone he loved immensely.

"Bullshit," Hunter said.

"Hunter, I'm over Bret!" Shawn shouted, trying to pull away. He tried to push Hunter off guard with his legs, but Hunter lifted him up a little, getting his feet off the floor. Shawn kicked his knee, and Hunter backed off, groaning in pain.

"You're such a liar!" Hunter groaned, "Damn it, Shawn, why else would you keep the damn truth for me? Or do you have no answer for that?"

"Because I knew you'd react like this!"

"How am I supposed to react when the man I love lies to me, kicks me in the damned knee, and makes plans to see ex lovers in hotel rooms like some kind of tramp?"

Shawn's eyes widened- Hunter knew how Shawn felt about the word. Shawn wasn't exactly the most popular guy around the block, and plenty of people whispered about the 'Texan Tramp' and his supposed exploits. "Fuck you, you stupid cunt," Shawn snapped.

"Don't you dare treat me like the bad guy here," Hunter said, "I wasn't the one who lied, damn it!" He went up to Shawn and grabbed him, putting him over his shoulder. Shawn fought him, but it was all for naught; Hunter soon had Shawn over his shoulder. "You want to go see Bret? Fine, let's go see Bret!"

Shawn kicked and punched, trying to get down, but the position gave Shawn no way to make any blow truly hurt. "Put me down!" Shawn shouted.

"Why?" Hunter asked, driven by the pain he felt over Shawn's betrayal. "You were going to see Bret, weren't you? Well, why can't you do it with me?"

"Who said I was going to see him?"

"You didn't have his key to pick your nails, Shawn!" Hunter began walking to the door, and Shawn fought more.

"Let me down or I'll never forgive you!" Shawn cried out, "Let me down or I swear, I'll leave and never look back... fuck Hunter, stop it..."

Hunter gnashed his teeth together and put Shawn down. "Fine. FINE! Have it your way. But don't think just because I don't make you watch as I bust Bret's jaw for this little stunt that I forgive you for this."

"See, this is why I didn't tell you-"

"What aren't you getting, Shawn?" Hunter asked, "I'm reacting to you lying, not to you arranging a secret rendevous with the man who literally ripped your heart to shreds. Do you like pain _that much_, that you'd go back to Bret fucking Hart?"

"Sounds like you're reacting to Bret to me," Shawn retorted, "And you know what? I love you. I. Love. You. I wouldn't have stuck around for seven years, and been your friend for much more than that, if I didn't. Maybe if you got passed your inferiority complex and your own fat fucking nose, you might have realized that." Shawn grabbed his bag and went to the bathroom. "This is fucking over. I'm going to the shower. If you're still an ass when I get out, I'm leaving."

"To Bret's?" Hunter asked.

"What did I say?"

"You didn't get out of the shower yet, _baby_," Hunter said, the syllables of baby oozing with a patronizing tone. Shawn rolled his eyes and walked into the shower, ready to forget the whole thing. Maybe, when he got out, he and Hunter could actually talk like human beings instead of jumping at each others' throats.

"Fucking shit," Shawn kicked the door, wishing things could go back to normal. He loved Hunter, but he had the chance to finally put things to rest with Bret, and he couldn't pass up the chance. He wished he never pulled out the key. He wished he never took it. He wished things would just be simple.

Hunter stared at the door angrily before sitting on the bed. He looked at the key and wondered if he should bash Bret's skull in for trying to pull one over on him and for taking advantage of Shawn's naivete. But how much of that was actually naivete and how much of it was just more lies Shawn was feeding him?

_I was here, Bret. I was here when Shawn was down and out. I was here when Shawn was half strung out on painkillers, I was here when Shawn found Jesus, and I was here when Shawn experienced some of his greatest victories. You can't just come back twelve years after a fucked up two year relationship and just expect him back._

_But God, what if Shawn wants Bret back? _Sure, Hunter had fantasies, but that's all they were. Fantasies. Shawn was still the love of his life and, in real life, Hunter wanted nothing more than to put Bret behind them. But what if... oh God, what if Shawn wanted Bret back? Despite Hunter's earlier antics, he knew he wouldn't try to force Shawn to stay if he wanted to break up. But he didn't want Shawn to go.

Hunter held up the key, studying it. Tonight, he was going to work on his relationship with Shawn, try to work through everything that happened. Tommorrow, he would handle Bret Hart... and hopefully, this time, Bret would leave them alone for good.

* * *

**A/N: Go ahead, Kassy. Chant that you don't like the Hitman. See if it works this time. In all honesty, I don't think it worked last time. **


	3. Cautionary

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the following wrestlers, or any of the events that actually happened on camera, or anything else mentioned that is recognizable.**

**I respect the actual beliefs and sexualities of the following wrestlers.**

**Thanks, everyone, for your kind words, and here's the next chapter.**

* * *

**Part Three: Cautionary**

_**A good deal of tyranny goes by the name of protection. -Crystal Eastman**_

_**Before**_

Shawn leaned against the window of the passenger seat, not looking toward the man in the driver's seat. Blonde hair fell around his face, and Shawn held his chin up with his hand, just staring into the dark distance. He could hardly see anything in the midnight air, but he'd rather see nothing than the egotistical man in the seat next to him.

Bret glanced at his lover every now and then, wondering what to say to him. He knew exactly why his normally bubbly Shawnie was so quiet, and he wanted to fix things between them. But, at the same time, he knew that Shawn was too stubborn to see any point of view but his own. Usually, he loved how stubborn Shawn could get, but when it was used against him, it was the worst thing ever.

"We talked about this, love," Bret said, putting a hand on Shawn's knee while keeping the other on the wheel. Shawn grabbed Bret's hand and moved it off soundlessly. "Look, you can't pout like this."

"You embarrassed me," Shawn said, not even bothering to look at Bret while he responded to him, "I looked like a fucking coward on national television."

Bret shook his head; he couldn't believe Shawn sometimes. "I already told you. This wasn't my fault. I-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Shawn interrupted, before turning back to the window. His tone obviously read 'conversation over', but Bret wasn't going to allow Shawn to just end it like that.

"Are you serious? Shawn, stop acting like a child and let's talk about this like men."

"I'm not acting like a child."

"You're acting like a brat," Bret said, "Come on, are you really going to act like this over one messed up promo?"

"Oh, I'm acting like a brat now?" Shawn said, turning to him, "I'm unreasonable and I'm the brat but Bret gets to ruin our fucking promo. I'm sorry I'm whining over something as meaningless as my job or my reputation."

Bret gritted his teeth in exasperation before saying, "What do you want from me, huh? This wasn't my fault."

"Then whose fault was it, Bret? _Mine?_"

"I never said that!" Bret shouted. "Why are you putting words in my mouth?"

"Well then, whose fault was it?" Shawn asked, "Since it's not yours, and it's not mine, maybe it was the cameraman's. In fact, I'm going to talk to Vince about him. After all, if he's going to ruin promos like that, he should be taken care of."

Bret just glared at Shawn, his anger growing at Shawn's sarcasm, but Shawn just ignored him. If Bret wasn't going to take this seriously, then Shawn sure as hell wasn't. "What's wrong with you, Shawn? Why can't you just accept my apology?"

"Because you didn't apologize!" Shawn yelled, "You made excuses and called me a child."

"You are a child, Shawn! A big whiny kid who can't get over the fact that I went a little over-"

Shawn snorted. "A little!"

"You're not helping anything, Shawn!"

"You're not doing your job, Bret!" Shawn said, almost mocking Bret by using the exact same sentence structure.

"Don't tell me I'm not doing my job!" Bret shouted. He punched the steering wheel a couple of times. "God, why can't you just get over yourself and understand that the world didn't end because Shawn Michaels didn't get the last word!"

"Shawn Michaels didn't get _any _word." Shawn shoved Bret, trying to get his attention. "Keep your hands on the wheel, Hart."

"What, afraid?" Bret moved his hands off the wheel. "You mean the Shawn Michaels is a chicken?"

"Don't call me a chicken... Bret, grab the damn wheel," Shawn said, pushing him again. Bret just smirked and laid his hands on the sides of the wheel, making Shawn think he was going to grab it, but then he moved his hands away again. Bret usually strictly adhered to the rules, so Shawn couldn't imagine Bret acting like this.

"Bret, grab the wheel!" Shawn shouted. Bret didn't do it, and Shawn said, "Bret!" He lunged forward, trying to grab the wheel. Bret realized too late what Shawn was doing, and Shawn swerved them both ways, the stretched position he was in not allowing him to drive correctly.

Bret hit the brake, causing them to halt. He didn't think anyone would careen onto the road this late, which is why he allowed himself to play so loosely with the wheel, but Shawn practically caused them to crash. Shawn glared at Bret before opening the passenger door, going onto the road. He slammed the door shut, making Bret sigh and lower the car window. "Now what are you doing?" Bret called out, watching Shawn stand on the side of the road.

"I'm not staying in there a second longer," Shawn said, looking at the road ahead, "Go on without me. I'll make my own way home."

"Don't be stupid," Bret said, motioning to the car. "Come on, just get in here. It's midnight, and we're in the middle of the road. Let's go home."

"I'm not getting back in there." Shawn began walking backwards, still looking toward the road. Bret slowly moved the car to follow Shawn.

"What are you going to do, Shawn? Hitchhike?" Bret said, rolling his eyes "Get in here."

"Very plausible idea. I shake my ass and pose for girly mags, remember? Who wouldn't stop for me?" Shawn asked. Bret tensed, thinking about someone else running their hands over Shawn. It was obviously what he was hinting at.

"You are not going to hitchhike," Bret said, almost ordering Shawn to obey him.

"That's what you think," Shawn said flippantly.

"Just stop being ridiculous and get into the car," Bret said. Shawn put his hand up and lifted his thumb, despite Bret's being the only car in sight, trying to rile Bret up. It worked; Bret's anger was completely palpable on his face. "Shawn, get in the car," he said. Shawn stretched his thumb out even more, and Bret said, "You know what? You want to hold your thumb up like an idiot and wait for some psychotic trucker to kill you after you live up to your Texan Tramp nickname? Go right ahead. I'm going home." Bret began closing the window and getting ready to drive, causing Shawn to freeze; he obviously wasn't expecting that.

"Fuck, wait Bret!" Shawn hit the window with his fists. Bret just smirked at him for a moment before finally opening the door. Shawn sat in the seat, crossing his arms, wishing he were anywhere else but with Bret Hart right now.

"The tantrum over, Princess?" Bret said condescendingly. Shawn didn't answer at first, just thinking about how much he'd like to shove his fist into Bret's smug face, but then he finally said two words.

"Just drive."

* * *

_**Now**_

Shawn squeezed the water out of his hair before pulling it up into a ponytail. He leaned against the sink in the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the mirror, wondering how could he convince Hunter that he just wanted to forget everything and move on with his life if he couldn't convince himself of that. He wondered if it were possible that he could regain some kind of peace in his life while still getting to progress beyond his mistakes.

He opened the door, and he saw Hunter sitting on the bed, legs out, eyes on the television. Hunter shut it off as soon as Shawn closed the door and said, "You took a while."

"I needed the time to think," Shawn answered. Hunter moved over and patted the bed, obviously wanting Shawn to sit next to him, but Shawn chose to stay standing. Hunter was visibly hurt by the gesture, but he didn't let that stop him from keeping eye contact with Shawn.

"I'm sorry," Hunter said, "I know I lost control of my temper, and I did things I shouldn't have. I just... I'm sorry." Shawn watched Hunter, almost looking for sincerity in his voice, trying to see if Hunter really meant what he said. When Shawn didn't say anything, Hunter said, "I don't know what to say, Shawn. Half of me is still angry that you wouldn't tell me about the key until you had no choice but to, but the other half is angry at myself. Maybe you had a reason not to trust me."

"I do trust you, Hunter." Hunter smiled, hearing Shawn finally talk. "I trust you with everything I have. But I'm just so tired of having to defend who I am because of who I was." Shawn moved closer to Hunter, pain clearly written on his face. "People whisper behind my back because once upon a time I wore dangly earrings, I danced like a stripper, and I did stupid things. It doesn't matter that it was ages ago; in their eyes, I haven't changed." Shawn stood over Hunter, looking in his eyes. "No matter what I do now, no matter how I've changed, I'll always be the Texan Tramp. I'll always be Hit it and Quit it Michaels. I'll always be the guy who screwed Bret."

Shawn paused for a moment, obviously hurt by the memories. "Remember Montreal, Hunter? When we were there only a few months ago? It was as if nothing I've done over the past twelve years mattered. They still chanted 'You Screwed Bret' like if it was 1997 all over again. Is it so much to ask that I could possibly put that behind me? For once, I want people to look at me and think about what I'm doing, not what I've done over a decade ago. Is that too much to ask?"

"No," Hunter said. He stood up and looked at Shawn, studying him. He couldn't believe how hurt Shawn actually looked. Hunter placed his hands on Shawn's face, tilting it so he could look into his eyes. "This thing with Bret really means that much to you?" Hunter asked.

Shawn nodded. "I want to be a different man, Hunter. Really, I just want to make things right with Bret so I can move on."

_Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. Maybe, if Shawn and Bret have their talk and get it over with, then Bret can wander off into the sunset and we'll never hear from him again. _Hunter rubbed his thumbs against Shawn's cheeks. "Not at all," Hunter said softly. He pressed his lips into Shawn's forehead. "I've seen who you've become, Shawn, and if they don't want to know you, then screw them." Hunter pressed his lips into Shawn's nose this time. They get to miss out on the most beautiful person I've ever met."

Shawn closed his eyes, anticipating a kiss on the lips, but Hunter never gave him one. Instead, he just said, "You and I can get through this, right?"

Shawn opened his eyes, shocked by the question. He didn't even know how to begin to answer it. So, instead of answering, he pushed his lips into Hunter's, claiming the kiss Hunter didn't him a few seconds ago. Hunter didn't return it at first, too surprised by the sudden action, but then he wrapped his arms around Shawn's waist and kissed him back. They stumbled back for a minute before falling on the bed, Hunter's back making contact with the mattress as he held Shawn steady. Shawn's cool, still wet hairs hit Hunter's shoulders, sending a shiver down Hunter's spine as he held the kiss.

Shawn pushed away, panting for breath, his hair hanging over his face, almost like a halo. Hunter swiped a few strands out of his face to fully see how beautiful his Shawnie was. "I love you so much," Hunter ran a hand over Shawn's cheek, and Shawn smiled.

"I love you too big guy." Shawn laid against Hunter's chest, and Hunter just held him close, stroking the damp locks with his hand. Hunter wanted Shawn to get what he needed from Bret, but he couldn't help but wonder if what Shawn needed and what Bret wanted were the same thing. Shawn, he trusted, but Bret was another story.

_I'm not going to ruin things with Shawn because of him, but I'm not going to let him set us back any more. He's going to make peace and then fuck off. I'm going to make sure of that. _Hunter kept caressing Shawn's hair and back, and he began thinking of exactly what he was going to do to Bret Hart.

* * *

"Ninety nine bottles of juice on the wall, ninety nine bottles of juice...!" The off key singing filled Bret's ear, making him laugh. The person on the other end of the phone, his neice Nattie, told the singers, Tyson and David, to quiet down, but they ignored her and kept singing. It was nearly ten o'clock, and Natalya called Bret during breakfast.

Being back in hotels was something that took some getting used to, but Bret couldn't help but think that he fell into it too easily, like he could get used to this kind of life again. _Yeah right. These days are behind me._ Still, he remembered hating the road, hating nothing feeling like home, back when he was still wrestling. Maybe there was something to the grass is greener saying.

Tyson and David started another verse, prompting Bret to laugh some more. "I didn't know breakfast was such a festive affair," Bret said, trying to ebb the giggles from coming out of his mouth.

"They find reasons to celebrate even when there aren't any," Nattie said, "Don't worry, they keep a lid on it in public." She chuckled a little at Tyson and David's antics. "Listen, you are not passing us up tonight, okay? We are going to properly welcome your return whether you like it or not."

"I'm going to be forced to be welcomed back?" Bret said, raising an eyebrow.

"And you'll be forced to enjoy it, Uncle Bret," Natalya teased, before becoming serious. "Look, you deserve it. Uncle Bret, we all really appreciate what you've done, and, well, what you're planning on doing-"

"I haven't said a word," Bret said, but he couldn't help but smile, thinking about the deal he made. He could tell by Natalya's voice, however, that she knew all about the deal; he just wanted to keep the charade up longer.

"But we all _know._ No use playing denial, Uncle Bret; word gets around here like wildfire."

"Maybe I like playing denial, ever think of that?" Bret asked. Nattie laughed, and Bret said, "Alright, I'll go out with you guys tonight. But just so we're sure, I'm going to keep playing denial whether _you _like it or not."

"We'll see about that, Uncle Bret." They talked a little more, but then Bret heard the sound of the door being unlocked.

"Look," Bret said, not taking his eyes off the door, "We'll talk later, okay?" He hung up the phone, not waiting to hear Nattie's answer, and he stood up. The door opened and Bret's eyes widened, seeing the wrong blonde in front of him.

"Morning Hart," Hunter said, closing the door. He'd left in the morning, wanting to get to Bret before the idea of seeing Hart even crossed Shawn's mind. Bret kept silent, wondering why Hunter would have the key he gave to Shawn. "What's the matter, Hart, expecting someone else?"

Bret shrugged. "Maybe I'm just a little surprised. Didn't expect you'd have the balls to come seek me out, Hunt. After all, you've shown that you're nothing but a coward the last few hours already."

Hunter clenched his fists. "Me, a coward? You're the one sneaking around, Hart. You're the one whose afraid of me."

"I haven't been sneaking around. I've been in front of your face." Both men stood their ground, staring each other down. Bret then continued. "If you had anything to say to me, you could have said it any time. I was right in front of your giant Schnauzer."

"A poke at the nose. I bet you really thought about that one." Hunter snorted. "Look, Hart, I'll be out of your way in a few seconds. I just have something to say, and you're going to listen. Hopefull, if you're smart, you'll heed what I say, but I know from experience that you aren't exactly the brightest of bulbs."

"I already said it, Helmsley. I'm not going anywhere. So what's this message you have?" Bret asked.

"Look, I won't deny you and Shawn had something. But what you had was so dysfunctional that you would've ended up killing each other if Shawn didn't swerve you first. Now, I don't know what you've been up to under your whiny little rock, peddling your 'I was screwed' routine to any idiot who would listen, but Shawn's been through a lot."

"Don't pretend to know me, Hunter," Bret snapped.

"The point is," Hunter said, brushing Bret's comment off, "Shawn's finally got his life in a place where he can be happy. All he needs to do is get rid of his past now."

"You can't escape your past." Bret said, "It doesn't matter what you or Shawn want, what's done is done."

Bret's statement did nothing but make Hunter raise his voice. "Look, he's going to come to you so you two can put this to rest. And that's all you're going to do. Put this to rest. You and Shawn apologize to each other, share a hug, and then you can fuck off. Shawn doesn't need you in his life now."

"I'm sorry, but I think that's Shawn's call, not yours," Bret said sardonically.

"I don't need to remind you how bad you are for each other," Hunter said, "You remember how it was, I can see it on your face. And don't you ever forget I was there. I saw or heard it all. I was the one who Shawn ran to when 'me and Bret got into a fight' or 'Bret kicked me out' or even 'Bret almost left me on the side of the fucking road'. These things happened a lot, Hart. You two made each other fucking miserable."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Or maybe you're mad because I do," Hunter said, "Do yourself and Shawn a favor and just return to the snow and the polar bears once you get your 'I'm sorrys' out."

"Oh, I see. You're worried about _me_." Bret snarled, "Well, now it's your turn to listen, you arrogant asshole. I don't take orders, not now, not ever, and not from you. I will come and go as I fucking please, and you might want to ask your boss about me, uh, what did you say? 'Returning to the snow and the polar bears'."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hunter asked, confused by the statement, but still trying to hold his ground.

"You'll figure it out," Bret said, "Oh, and just so we're sure, if Shawn wanted us to continue being friends, I'd continue being his friend. You're not going to chase me away and, believe it or not, not all of us are scheming to steal Shawn from his boyfriend." Bret was tired of his own inner voice trying to argue with him; he didn't need Hunter throwing his doubts into his face. Bret knew everything that happened between him and Shawn; the last thing he wanted was for someone like Hunter to bring up every mistake, every issue, every fight.

Hunter smirked and threw the key at Bret. Bret caught it, almost dropping it a few times. "What's the matter, Hart? Jealous because I succeeded?" Hunter let that sink in; he knew it was a low blow, and he knew it might come back to bite him in the ass, but he was willing to say anything to hurt Bret right about now. "If you ever cared about Shawn in the least, you'd end this before it became anything more."

Hunter walked to the door, and Bret said, "What are you scared of, Hunter?" _Me? Scared? _Hunter said, closing his hand around the doorknob. "Get over yourself, Hart," he said gruffly before leaving the room. But Hunter couldn't help but think about what Bret said.

_"What are you scared of, Hunter?" _


	4. Confronting

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the following wrestlers, or any of the events that actually happened on camera, or anything else mentioned that is recognizable.**

**I respect the actual beliefs and sexualities of the following wrestlers.**

**Thanks, everyone, for your kind words. Once again, I have thanks to give. As always, to slashburd, for inspiring Hunter, and to Thorsmaven, for inspiring Bret and for doing an RP with me which led to one of the scenes in this chapter. Thank you both, and here's the chapter.**

* * *

**Part Four: Confronting**

_**I wish I could quit you. –Ennis Del Mar**_

At first, Bret couldn't help but stay angry at Hunter. But as his mood subsided, he could only think of how that could have looked to him, Bret giving Shawn his key in secret. Maybe it wasn't the brightest move he could have done, although he at least expected the Heartbreak Kid to have a little more finesse than that.

Of course, Hunter could have gotten the key any number of ways, including Shawn giving him the key, but Bret didn't think Shawn still held any grudges, or that he would allow Hunter to fight his battles for him. Shawn was always headstrong, and he never allowed someone else to stand up for him.

Either way, he still wanted to talk with Shawn, but in a way that Hunter couldn't moan and bitch about later. After all, there was something suspicious about Shawn and Bret meeting in the hotel room, but no one could say anything if they happened to be at a celebration together with tons of other coworkers.

"Hello?" Shawn said, his voice laced with boredom.

"Shawn? It's Bret," Bret said, "I hope you don't mind, I got your number from Chris."

"No, not at all." Shawn's voice was different now, definitely no longer bored. "Look, I wanted to find a way to tell you this anyway, so I'm glad you called. It might be best if we didn't meet in your room."

"Good, because I was thinking the same thing," Bret said.

"You... were?"

"Yes. In fact, I think it's best that we keep this a bit in the open- we both have reputations to think of," Bret said, "So, I was thinking that you could come to the dinner my niece Nattie's setting up for me."

Shawn paused to think about it, but then he said, "I wouldn't want to intrude on a family dinner-"

"Shawn, it's a bit of a celebration. Plenty of people are going to be there, not just my family. You could even bring Hunter, if you wanted."

"You're inviting Hunter? Are you sick, Hart?" Bret couldn't help but chuckle; he liked that Shawn was at least comfortable enough to make a joke.

"I'm not saying that Helmsley and I will get along-" _If that macho powerplay he just tried tells me anything, Hunter and I will be lucky if we don't kill each other. _"I'm just saying, if we're going to move forward, we should move forward. Ducking into hotel rooms is something we did back in '96."

"Point taken," Shawn said.

"So, would you be able to come?" Bret asked.

"Well, I don't have anything planned," Shawn said, "I'd have to ask Hunter if he'd want to go but... I think we can make it." Shawn paused, but then he said, "Bret, I do want to talk to you, at least before you go off to Connecticut and become a fixture in Creative's office."_ Shawn had to have heard the gossip about my deal... oh right, Shawn hates that kind of gossip. _"And I don't think this is the kind of thing we can do over the phone."

"Agreed," Bret said, "So, if you can make it, here's the details-" He gave Shawn the address Natalya gave him earlier- "And you guys don't have to dress up or anything. Just wear your normal clothes."

"Okay, well- maybe I'll see you later. See you around." Shawn hung up, and Bret started hearing all the things Hunter said to him again. _And don't you ever forget I was there. I saw or heard it all. I was the one who Shawn ran to when 'me and Bret got into a fight' or 'Bret kicked me out' or even 'Bret almost left me on the side of the fucking road'... If you ever cared about Shawn in the least, you'd end this before it became anything more._ No matter what Hunter thought, Bret didn't have any intention of starting anything with Shawn. Bret knew that he and Shawn went down a pretty rocky road. No one knew better than him that the people challenging Bret and Shawn's happiness back then were Bret and Shawn themselves. If he didn't think he was over Shawn, he wouldn't have even come to the WWE.

But after his stroke, after years of soul searching and finally getting his life back on track, he thought he was ready to move on. He thought he was free of every single thing that held him back; he could finally close this chapter of his life and find peace in the next chapter.

Then he saw those damn eyes as Shawn came down the ramp, and everything he was sure about went out the window. How could someone he thought he was over still have power over him? And no matter what he wanted, he couldn't escape the pull Shawn had over him. Bret could only hope that it was all in his head, and his need to go back to Shawn was just around his desire to find some closure.

Or maybe Bret was just in denial. All he could do was wait and see.

* * *

Hunter grumped as he drove the car to the restaurant. He couldn't believe he was going to a celebratory dinner for Bret Hart. But then Shawn told him that Bret invited them, and he realized just how devious the asshole can be. There was no way he could tell Shawn no without looking like an overbearing asshole. He didn't want anything to do with Bret, even though he begrudgingly accepted that Shawn would have some kind of relationship with Hart, but Shawn would feel obligated to stay with him if Hunter told him he didn't want to go.

"Thanks for coming," Shawn said, rubbing Hunter's shoulder. He had no idea what to think when Bret called him, but this way, he didn't have to explain to Bret that Hunter took his room key. He didn't have to ask Hunter for the room key and cause any more trouble, and Hunter couldn't complain about Shawn keeping secrets by slipping into Bret's hotel room. This dinner afforded Shawn a chance to appease his desire to talk with Bret without fooling Hunter. It was almost too perfect, an olive branch sent by God.

"Consider it more of my apology," Hunter said, smiling at Shawn through the rear view mirror. Shawn smiled back at him, squeezing his shoulder, and Hunter felt right about the decision. Besides, Bret wouldn't dare do something stupid in front of everyone.

Shawn leaned forward, kissing Hunter's cheek. He couldn't help but wonder what he did to deserve such understanding, especially after what happened last night. He nibbled Hunter's earlobe and said, "You're so amazing."

Hunter grinned, the sound of Shawn's voice and the feel of his breath on his ear practically making him twitch with desire, but he still pushed Shawn gently away. "Unless you want us to crash sexy boy, you better cool off," Hunter said.

"I guess I don't know the difference between hitting the brakes or hitting the gas," Shawn said, licking his lips. Hunter shifted in his seat; thinking about how he could make Shawn pay for his teasing. Once they got to the restaurant, Hunter parked the car and he and Shawn got out of the car. However, before Shawn could get very far, he felt a pair of strong hands grasp his hips.

Shawn was tugged back and laid against the car, hitting the hood a little roughly, but just rough enough to make the whole thing erotic. Hunter leaned over Shawn, running his hands over Shawn's hips. "So, what's that about hitting the gas, my little tease?" Hunter asked. He kissed Shawn's neck, running his lips and teeth over the skin, making him moan.

Shawn reached his hands back and cupped Hunter's ass, pushing him closer to him, begging him to continue tasting him. Hunter did so before moving from his neck to his jaw, and from his jaw to his lips. Their lips pressed together, kissing each other deeply. Hunter licked Shawn's lip, asking for entry into his mouth, and as Shawn was about to comply, a loud "Get a room!" pierced their senses.

Hunter moved away, seeing Primo and Carlito Colon, Maryse Ouellet, and Jillian Hall standing a few inches from them. Maryse and Jillian tittered, probably about them, before going into the restaurant, and Primo let out a wolf whistle. Carlito just shook his head, looking at them with a superior look on his face before following the others.

Hunter moved away from Shawn, studying his lover's body; the blush on his cheeks made him look all the cuter. Shawn just began laughing and Hunter joined in; neither of them could help but chuckle at what just happened. "I guess I don't know when to hit the brakes either," Hunter said, helping Shawn off the car.

"That's what makes it fun," Shawn winked, wrapping his arm around Hunter's waist. "Sometimes you've got to go faster- sometimes you have to be willing to possibly crash to get that real thrill."

"I'll keep that in mind when I ravage you tonight," Hunter said, placing a kiss on Shawn's forehead. They walked into the restaurant, which was a bit crowded. While it wasn't too fancy, it was still pretty nice.

They went over to the tables which were reserved for the Hart party, taking seats by Carlito and Primo. The Puerto Rican brothers began poking at the position they found Hunter and Shawn in, so the DX partners began making fun of their hair and their accents. It was really light, a playful exchange between friends.

As they continued talking, none of the four of them were really aware of who was going and who was coming. If they were, they would have seen the only female member of the Hart Dynasty coming up behind them. Natalya clapped her hands down, one hand finding it's way onto Hunter's shoulder, the other onto Shawn's, catching the two men off guard.

"I'm glad you could all make it," she said, smiling at the people around the table they chose. Then, she leaned forward to Hunter and Shawn's ears before whispering, "Okay, I know my uncle invited you two because he's serious about letting bygones be bygones, but you both better have the same idea in mind. Because if either of you two dares to ruin this celebration, I will rip your spleens out and feed them to my dog. Do we read each other?" Hunter and Shawn both nodded, and Natalya held their shoulders in a painful vice grip, complimenting her threat, before moving away.

"Remind me not to piss her off," Hunter whispered. Shawn nodded in agreement, watching as she met up with Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith, moving to the table in the middle of their group of tables, joining Chris Irvine. Hunter felt relieved that, at least, they chose to sit at the part of the table that would put their backs to Bret Hart.

"So, when do we get to eat?" Carlito said. Primo hit him in the side and began talking in fast Spanish, scolding his older brother, but Hunter said, "I was thinking the same thing, you know."

"Nattie told the waiter not to bring us the menus until after Bret comes," Jillian explained, "It's rude, eating before the guest of honor comes."

"It's rude, the guest of honor being late to his own party," Carlito muttered.

"Carlito, it's only seven thirty," Primo said, "He's not late yet."

"If the party starts at 7:30, and he's not here at 7:30, then fuck it; he's late." Hunter laughed, reaching across the table to slap hands with Carlito, while Primo and Shawn shook their heads in disbelief at the two men.

"I can't believe I'm related to him," Primo said.

"He's your brother; you're kind of obligated to be by his side," Shawn said, "I chose to stick by my idiot." Hunter shoved Shawn gently, pretending to be hurt, and they all began to laugh. Then, during their laughter, they heard Nattie yell out, "Hey Uncle Bret!"

The whole table turned around to watch Bret walk over to the middle table and hug Tyson, Natalya, David, and Chris. "Sorry I'm late," he said, "Had trouble finding parking."

"You're not late," Natalya assured him, and Carlito whispered, "Yes he is." Hunter put a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter, and Shawn kicked him softly in the shin.

Bret turned to the tables, walking to each one and thanking the people there for coming to the little get together. Eventually, Bret got to their table, and Hunter couldn't help but notice that Bret stood as far from him and Shawn as possible. This normally wouldn't bother Hunter, but this meant they were directly in his vision.

"Thanks for coming," Bret said, smiling, "I appreciate it." Maryse and Jillian both talked to him a little, and Hunter's mind went back to his talk with Bret earlier, and he just grew angrier. Bret's eyes met his for a moment, and he could tell Bret was also thinking about their talk. Bret gave a glare that felt challenging before breaking the eye contact, thanking them again before walking back to the main table.

After finally getting to eat, Shawn could hardly believe how well the night was going. Maybe it was because he and Hunter had almost no contact with Bret, but still. Everyone was still alive and it seemed that Hunter actually had a good time fooling around with Carlito and Primo Colon.

The loud clicking of a utensil hitting glass filled the air, and they all turned to the main table, looking at Chris Irvine. "What are you doing?" Bret hissed, completely caught off guard.

"I think we'd all like to hear the guest of honor say a few words, huh?" Chris said, obviously choosing to do this to put Bret on the spot. Probably payback for the whole 'you screamed the loudest in the dungeon' line Bret fed the world on Monday. Many people clapped in agreement, while a few murmured that they'd rather get on with their desserts. Still, it was enough to make Natalya and Tyson pat Bret's shoulders, urging him to stand up and speak.

In Bret's mind, he said all that he needed to say on Monday. This dinner was more for Nattie and her co-conspirators than for him anyway; Bret would rather just integrate quietly back into the fold, especially given the arrangement he made with Vince. But they wanted to put together this for him, and Bret appreciated the love and support he garnered from his family and friends.

"Alright, but I'm going to make it quick." Bret stood up and said, "Well, here's to another year strong for the company, for my family, and for all of us. You guys are great." He sat down, and someone shouted hear, hear. Bret laughed and put his head in his hands; at this rate, they were going to kill him with all the attention they're paying him.

"He's really hamming it up," Carlito said, making Hunter wonder if he and the older Colon were separated at birth. Primo elbowed him again, and he said, "What? He didn't need to make the speech."

"He was put on the spot," Primo said, "It was like at Rosita's Quinceanera when her parents made you make a speech for her and you just said-" Hunter couldn't catch the rest, as Primo was speaking in fast Spanish, but by the way Carlito blushed, he knew he wanted to hear it.

"What did he say?" Hunter asked.

"None of your business!" Carlito snapped, trying to regain his composure.

The guests began to dwindle down, leaving only handfuls of people left, bunched in groups and finishing off desserts. Jillian and Maryse were gone, and soon Carlito and Primo said goodbye, leaving Hunter and Shawn at the table. "What do you say we make like the Puerto Ricans?" Hunter said. Shawn laughed, even though the joke was pretty lame, and he said, "Actually, there's something I have to do before we leave, okay?"

"The bathroom? Because now that sounds like a good idea." Hunter rubbed his stomach. "Maybe the fish was a bad idea."

Shawn laughed. "If you need the bathroom, go to the bathroom. Nah, I just want to talk with people."

_Just say with Bret, why don't you? _The mood Hunter so carefully worked by distracting himself with the Colons was completely broken. Hunter kept his face straight before saying, "Alright. I'm going to the bathroom. Tell me when you're ready to leave, alright?" Shawn nodded and Hunter went towards the bathroom, telling himself that nothing too serious could possibly happen in the middle of all the people here. They would probably just talk, and then maybe this could be over.

_Soon it'll be just me and Shawn again. I just have to trust Shawn. Even if I can't trust Bret, I have to trust Shawn._

Shawn walked over to the middle table. "Hey." Everyone looked up at him; it was like a spotlight, and Shawn couldn't help but feel naked in front of them. Tyson waved disinterestedly, David nodded, and Natalya and Chris didn't even bother to do anything but stare. Bret felt the awkwardness and said, "Hey." Bret stood up, saying excuse me to the others at the table, before he went over to Shawn. "Would you mind walking with me?" Bret asked.

"Sure," Shawn said, although he felt anything but. They began walking, neither sure where they were walking to, but both hoping that they could escape the spotlight if they kept moving. "So."

"So." Bret put his hands in his pocket. "I was actually hoping you'd have a better idea of what to say."

"Even my big mouth sometimes finds itself shut." Shawn joked. Bret snickered, and Shawn decided small talk might work best. "So, how was it like? Returning."

"Like returning home after a long vacation and being unable to go straight to bed," Bret said, "It was weird, I guess. Different."

"Bad different or good different?"

"Good different," Bret affirmed, "Maybe not great different, but good different."

"That's how I feel sometimes," Shawn said.

"Ah, but some things never change. I must admit, seeing the DX emblem helped ease the feeling of being a fossil."

"Glad we could help. You know, you should have came out in a pair of your signature shades. It would definitely had set the crowd off."

"I wanted to," Bret said, "But I put off looking for a pair until the last minute, and I couldn't find them. I settled for a pair I used to wear around WCW." Bret shrugged. "Who knows, I'll probably find a pair once I get home."

"That's sounds so very un-Bret Hart," Shawn said, hoping he didn't sound like he was rambling, "You were one of the most together guys I knew."

"Yeah well, the Bret you knew wouldn't recognize the Bret I am," Bret muttered.

"What does that mean, Bret?" Shawn asked.

"Well… I'm going places I never thought I would go, doing things I never thought I would do," Bret said quietly. Shawn paused, standing in front of Bret to stop him from moving.

"Whoa, hold up," Shawn looked Bret over, concern clear in his voice, "What the hell are you saying? You're not hurting yourself, are you?"

"No, it's nothing like that." Bret shook his head, trying to put Shawn's worries to rest.

"Are you sure? Because if you're lying, your crazy niece isn't too far away…"

Bret laughed. "I'm sure. And don't let Nattie hear you call her crazy." Bret crossed his arms, taking a deep breath, before saying, "Look, it's just… when I lost my mobility back in 2002, I was pretty desperate to get it back. I would've done anything, and then Nattie suggested something a bit, eh, unorthodox." Bret got increasingly shyer, wondering how he began spilling this to Shawn. No one knew about it- well, except Nattie. "I tried it, and it worked pretty well."

"So?" Shawn asked, "What is it?" Bret kept quiet, so Shawn offered, "If it helps, I pray every night. That's something I never thought I'd do twelve years ago. So, now that we're in the sharing mood- what's that something Bret Hart would never do that Bret Hart is actually doing?"

Bret gave him a flat look. "Shawn, that's prayer. That's a normal. Actually, it's also pretty pious and decent."

"But it wasn't normal for me," Shawn said, "I don't remember my religion being any bit important to me back when you knew me. In fact, very few things were important to me. Not even my health. My select friends, my career…" Shawn mentally affixed _you_ to the list, unable to voice it without feeling like he was betraying Hunter. "I was pretty damn selfish in back then."

"We all were. We thought we were Gods. And then we came crashing down." Bret said, thinking about his stroke. Meanwhile, Bret's words made Shawn think about his own issues with his back and with painkillers.

"Truer words have never been spoken," Shawn said, "Look, if you don't want to talk about it-"

"I'm taking dancing lessons," Bret said, interrupting Shawn. Shawn opened his mouth, obviously about to say something about that not being too bad, but Bret said, "Before you say anything, it's not exactly ball room dancing."

"So?" Shawn said, "What, is the Bret Hart dancing on poles?" Keeping up with the joke, Shawn put his hands behind his neck and began shaking like a stripper. "Is Bret Hart working those pelvic bones for singles?"

"No! I don't dance in front of people!" Bret slapped his forehead in disbelief, "I just take the classes. I thought it was stupid at first, but… it worked."

Shawn stopped. "Wait… you're actually dancing on poles?" Bret nodded, and Shawn snickered.

"Shawn!"

"What?" Shawn asked innocently, "I mean…" He couldn't keep the pretense up any longer; he began laughing.

"Shawn!" Bret repeated.

"I'm sorry, but I mean- you're pole dancing, Bret!" Shawn began gyrating his hips again, laughing uncontrollably.

Bret watched him a little, and then he decided to get some payback. "Hmph. Shawn, that's just completely wrong. You're supposed to arch your back." He went behind Shawn and grabbed his hips, correcting them. "There. Now do it."

"Whoa!" Shawn blushed as Bret corrected his hips. He froze for a moment, a little caught off guard by the motion, but then he began swinging his hips again. "Like that?"

Bret nodded, quickly moving his hands from Shawn's hips before they got too comfortable there. He forgot what that felt like. "When you do it that way, it allows you to show off your abdominal muscles and it really makes your hips look more fluid and less jerky." He explained. He tried his best to keep his eyes on Shawn's face rather than his hips, but he wondered how their conversation, which was supposed to be about finishing their business, became a tutorial in exotic dancing.

"So," Shawn said, stopping the movements, remembering where he was, "If I were to pull out my wallet now and start tossing singles, would you dance for me?"

Bret couldn't help but smirk. "You got a pole, sexy boy?" He asked, arching an eyebrow, making it look like he was actually thinking about it. "No? Then we'll have to take a rain check."

"Whatever you say, Hit it man."

"I can't believe you just said that," Bret snickered.

"Every stripper needs a name," Shawn shrugged.

"Well, never say that name again."

"I like it. It's part of the new Bret," Shawn smiled. "So, if you're a different Bret and I'm a different Shawn, I guess that means we don't know each other anymore."

"True." Bret held out his hand. "Well, I'm Bret Hart."

Shawn grabbed Bret's hand and shook it. "I'm Shawn Michaels."

Bret moved his hand away, still feeling Shawn against his hand. _We just did everything humanly possible to avoid talking about us, about what we were supposed to talk about. _Bret was beginning to wonder if his decisions were good after all. Maybe he should have just buried the past instead of trying to confront it, and maybe he should've never signed that contract with Vince… but then again, he knew that burying it would have just caused all the unresolved issues to fester. He just wished that facing the past was somewhat easier. "Look, I should probably get back-"

"Right," Shawn said, blushing, "I don't want to keep you from your guests." Bret reached to grab Shawn's hand and shake it, but Shawn went to hug him, causing a moment of awkward silence. Bret changed his stance, instead going to hug him, but Shawn also switched to trying to shake his hand. The moment grew even more tense than before, so Bret moved to quickly hug Shawn, hopefully finally ending the awkwardness. He patted Shawn on the back, and then he moved away, but he couldn't bring himself to go back to the celebration. His legs just ignored his orders.

"This talk wasn't supposed to be about changing and poles," Shawn said.

"I know."

"Are we ever going to say what needs to be said?"

"I don't know." Bret sighed. "I just don't know." Finally, his legs agreed to move with him, and he left Shawn. But even though he was moving further and further away from Shawn, he could still see him, still feel him as if he were right next to him. He put his hand to his eye, rubbing as if it would help banish Shawn's image from his mind, but he could still see the blond clearly.

_Maybe I'm not as changed as I hoped I was._

Bret was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice Hunter as he passed him. Hunter stood by a booth a little ways off from where Shawn and Bret were talking, unable to think of what to make when he saw them talking. When Gail Kim told him they went walking off together, he didn't know what to expect, but he didn't expect that.

It was like a rollercoaster; they were hot and then they were cold, they were comfortable and then awkward. Hunter would have preferred anything but the uncertainty that display afforded.

He swallowed his confusion and moved into prominence, walking over to Shawn. "There you are!" Shawn turned around, smiling at Hunter. It looked forced, as if uncertainty plagued him too.

"Let's get out of here." Shawn said, wrapping his arm around Hunter's waist. He kissed his cheek and said, "You know… I think you need to remind me exactly why I love you." Shawn was obviously trying to make his voice seductive, but Hunter knew that, if he and Shawn slept together that night, it would be because Shawn was using him to remain in denial.

_Shawn said 'remind me'… as if he forgot why he loves me__._Hunter kissed Shawn's forehead and said, "Not tonight, baby. I'm tired."

Shawn could almost read Hunter's face, the upset on it. "Hey Hunt, you know I love you, right?"

Hunter nodded. Shawn did love him, but Shawn also loved Bret, whether he liked it or not. "I love you too, Shawnie." They walked to the car, and all Hunter could think about was the truth, the truth about the convoluted love triangle they were in; the truth that none of the three of them seemed ready to confront.


	5. Crumbling

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the following wrestlers, or any of the events that actually happened on camera, or anything else mentioned that is recognizable.**

**I respect the actual beliefs and sexualities of the following wrestlers.**

* * *

**Part Five: Crumbling**

"_**Crumbling between the fingers, under the feet... Crumbling behind the eyes, Their world gives way and dies... And something twangs and breaks at the end of the street." -Louis MacNiece**_

* * *

_**Before**_

Kevin Nash looked down at his watch, tapping his foot. Scott Hall was leaning against the wall, and Hunter was pacing around the lobby, trying not to look too bored. This always happened, it seemed. Shawn was always late for everything. And it wasn't because he took forever in the bathroom, either. (After the amount of time Kevin and Shawn were friends, Kevin knew how long Shawn took in the bathroom, and he usually planned for it) He always found ways to distract himself.

"Scott," Kevin said, finally having enough with the waiting, "Go get Shawn."

"Pfft. You get Shawn, baboso. You're the one whose impatient," Scott said, brushing him off.

"Excuse me, chico?" Kevin said, "Just go upstairs and get him."

"Why don't you move your giant King Kong legs-"

"What was that, Taco Grande?" Kevin said, moving closer to Scott, trying to look menacing. Scott didn't care about the height difference, meeting Kevin midway and looking up fearlessly.

"You want to go, baboso?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Kevin said, pushing back on Scott. Hunter looked from them to the frightened clerk, who was silently begging Hunter not to let his two big friends cause a scene on her watch.

"Hey!" Hunter chuckled, walking forward and putting an arm between Kevin and Scott. He pushed them apart and said, "Look, I'll go get Heartbreak. You two just try not to kill each other." Kevin and Scott both stared at him for a minute, but then they began laughing. Uncontrollably. Scott put his arms around his chest, and Kevin threw his head back, both of them overtaken by laughter. Hunter tried to think of something he could've possibly said to make them laugh so hard.

"What?" Hunter said.

"Oh, nothing," Kevin said, trying to stop, but the giggles still escaped his lips. "Look, I think he's up at room 313. Go get him, will you?"

Hunter nodded, still confused, but he decided not to address it. He just went to the elevator and made his way up to Shawn. As soon as he was gone, Scott calmed himself down enough to exchange a glance with Kevin. "That was _evil_, Kevin. How could you send him up there?"

"You would've sent him up there too, chico," Kevin said, also calming down.

"I know, baboso, but still. Evil."

Kevin stood up straight, looking at the elevator; Hunter was definitely at the third floor already. He felt a little regret, knowing that Hunter had a crush on Shawn, but maybe it was better this way. "He was going to find out eventually," Kevin said quietly, "And besides, you know them. There's like a fifty percent chance they're fighting."

"And there's a fifty percent chance they're not," Scott replied. Kevin nodded, hoping that Hunter was as strong as he thought he was. Hunter was so obviously in love with Shawn it was painful. And everybody sensed it; everybody, that is, but Shawn. Shawn was too wrapped up in his own concerns and himself to notice that one of his own best friends was drooling over him. Kevin and Scott knew better than to get involved, but it was still hurt to see two of their clique so clueless to what was going on around them.

"Hey, do you feel like we forgot something?" Scott asked, abruptly changing the subject. Kevin, caught off guard by the question, thought about it for a minute. It did feel like they forgot something. He just didn't know what it was.

* * *

Bret licked his lips as he watched Shawn walk to his bag in nothing but a pair of boxers, his beautiful blond hair hanging around his face like a halo. But he knew his Shawnie was anything but an angel; the way Shawn swung his hips, the way he so deliberately bent over, showing off his tight little ass, was all meant to entice and tease Bret.

And it was working so well.

Bret stood up from the bed, walking slowly over until he could put his hands on Shawn's hips and push them into his pelvis. Shawn bent his head around, grinning before grinding his hips into Bret's. Bret used his hands to guide Shawn's hips, moaning under his breath as Shawn's little dance made him twitch with desire.

Suddenly, Shawn pulled away from Bret's hands. Bret glared at Shawn, who just smirked and shrugged. "I have to _go_, Bret. The guys are waiting for me."

Bret blinked, but then he just grabbed Shawn and turned him around, pushing him into the wall. Shawn's eyes twinkled with mischief, letting Bret know he wasn't too worried about keeping up his date with his buddies. "I don't think it's right that you put on a performance like that and then just leave," Bret said.

"Really? Well, I think it's perfectly alright," Shawn said flippantly, "I mean, you didn't have to fall for my games so easily. I remember when you were a challenge, Hart.... perhaps you're becoming to feeble to keep up with me." Shawn grabbed Bret's hands, trying to pry them from his sides, but Bret kept them strong against him.

"Excuse me? _Feeble_?" Bret moved forward, leaning his head against Shawn's. "You must have forgotten who you're talking to." Bret's head moved in closer until his and Shawn's lips were barely apart. "I'm Bret Hart. I'm a man of technique- every touch of mine is meant to bring someone to their knees." His hands slipped into the boxers, gently pressing against the hips before pushing the boxers down, baring Shawn completely. "You're no exception, baby."

"Is that so?" Shawn still sounded cocky, but not quite like before; Bret was getting to him, just like Shawn was getting to him. "Well I'm a Heartbreaker. I don't need no damn technique to get you hard." He looked down, smirking at Bret's erection. "What do you know, dripping before I'm even aroused. What happened to you, Bretty? You used to be fun."

"I think we'll have fun." Bret said, lapping at Shawn's lips before allowing his hands to roam up and down Shawn's body. Shawn's arms went around his neck, pulling him closer and initiating a pulse pounding kiss. Bret grabbed Shawn's legs and lifted them up, wrapping them around his waist, pressing Shawn's body into his naked chest.

Shawn broke the kiss, looking down at Bret's face, grinning. "So the old dog has some fight left in him, huh?"

Bret let go of one of Shawn's legs to push his head back into his, initiating another kiss. Shawn clamped his legs around Bret's sides, holding tightly and slightly pushing against him. When they finally broke apart, Bret said, "Oh babe, I've got a lot more than _some _fight."

* * *

Hunter knocked on the door absentmindedly, thinking about Shawn. Beautiful Shawn, playful Shawn... Hunter couldn't believe how quickly Shawn invaded his every thoughts. Somehow, the blond had taken him over. When he wasn't daydreaming about being with Shawn, it seemed that Shawn was doing everything to entice him; from the way he swung his hips to the way he hung off of Hunter, saying his name like it were a dessert, it just felt like Shawn was flirting with him.

Out of respect for Scott and Kevin, who were his best friends, he never acted on his feelings; he knew too well how relationships can break up friendships. But sometimes, a part of him screamed to forget Scott and Kevin and to just make Shawn realize how good they would be together.

_Damn Shawn, at this rate you're going to kill me. _Hunter smirked; it was the most pleasant death he could think of...

The door opened a few minutes later, and Hunter snapped back to attention. He didn't expect to see Bret there, wearing nothing a pair of unbuttoned jeans, his hair loose. _Is this some kind of joke? Did Kevin purposely send me to the wrong room? _Bret smiled, although his eyes definitely had no happiness in them, and he said, "Yes?" Bret couldn't believe he moved away from Shawn, completely naked, managed to calm himself down, put on clothes, and went to the door- to see Hunter.

"Wrong room, Hart," Hunter snapped. If there was one thing about Bret Hart that irked him, it was the proud condescension he addressed people with. Some people were fooled by Bret's little family guy routine, but Hunter wasn't for a moment; he knew that Bret thought he was a king... or even a god. Arrogance was one thing, but to be arrogant and hide behind his little family just irritated Hunter.

"Hunter?" Hunter's eyes widened as Shawn pushed Bret aside. He didn't understand what Shawn was doing there; and more importantly, what he was doing there without a shirt. Then, it hit him, and Hunter tried to bid the unwanted thought away, but he couldn't. There was only one reason they would look so comfortable around each other wearing that little. "I'm sorry Hunter, I lost track of time. Give me a few minutes." Shawn winked before walking back into the room.

"I thought you had the wrong room," Bret said, almost mockingly. Hunter's face turned red in anger and embarrassment as Bret went back inside. Bret just pulled on some more clothes while Shawn was in the bathroom, probably working on his hair. Shawn came out a while later, and Hunter watched as Bret went straight to him, talking to him in a hushed tone. Shawn just grinned and leaned forward, obviously teasing him, which made Bret laugh. Shawn began putting on some clothes, talking to Bret more seriously, and Bret nodded.

_What are they talking about? _As soon as Shawn was fully clothed, he kissed Bret's cheek and began walking to the door. Bret grabbed him and yanked him back into his arms, planting a kiss on Shawn's lips. Shawn chuckled as he pushed away. "Later, Hart," he said, this time loud enough for Hunter to hear.

"I'll hold you to that, Michaels." Shawn walked to Hunter and closed the door before slapping his shoulder.

"Talk about bad timing," Shawn said, although his voice didn't carry much disappointment, "You owe me for that, Hunter." _What did I interrupt... oh, right. Don't be stupid Hunter. Or maybe just hopeful..._

"I owe you nothing," Hunter attempted to joke, trying not to voice what he was feeling. Luckily enough, Shawn seemed to not notice.

Shawn wrapped his arms around Hunter's neck and leaned his chin on his shoulder, getting too close for comfort. Hunter stiffened as he felt Shawn's breath against his ear. "Oh, you owe me," he said, his voice sounding sexier than it usually did, "And I always get my due." He moved away, whistling while he walked to the elevator, and Hunter watched his back. He wondered how he could act like that with somebody when he was obviously with somebody else (he refused to think of him with the arrogant little pretender).

When he first joined up with Kevin, Scott, and Shawn, he remembered being pulled aside and hearing 'who they were' from the guys in the roster. "Anger issues, drunk, whore. You sure you want to get in with that?" Every now and then the words would echo in his mind, but this is the first time he really thought about the word given to Shawn. Shawn had to know the effect he had on him, how just the littlest words made him shiver, how he commanded his attention- why would he just torment him like that?

As soon as the elevator made it to the lobby, Shawn ran out, jumping on Kevin. "Hey there, Big D!" Shawn said, hanging off his neck. Kevin wrapped an arm around Shawn to take pressure of his neck, and Kevin said, "You're lucky I don't drop you."

"Luck my ass. It's my movie star good looks and my award winning personality that keeps you from hurting me." Shawn pouted, and Kevin shook his head.

"You're going to murder me with that pout, Heartbreak; put it away." Kevin put Shawn down and Shawn turned, seeing Scott coming closer to him. Shawn recognized the look in Scott's look and put his hands up.

"Don't you dare--" Shawn said, backing away.

"Oh come on, chico, I just want to say hi." Scott ran forward, trying to give Shawn a noogie, and Shawn ran, screaming about his hair. As they ran, Kevin went up to Hunter.

"You okay, man?"

"What?" Hunter nodded. "Oh, yeah. Don't worry about me. Let's just have fun tonight."

Kevin nodded, thinking that maybe Hunter just needed time. He knew Shawn was a pretty big flirt, and sometimes people got the wrong idea- but this was Hunter, and they were friends. This wasn't something he wanted around his close circle of friends. "Let's have fun."

* * *

_**Now**_

Hunter sat on the chair in the room quietly. The only sound he could hear throughout the room was Shawn's soft breathing; Hunter had pretended to go to sleep, knowing that Shawn wouldn't have went to bed unless he did, but there was no way he'd get any sleep tonight. Especially after seeing how close Shawn and Bret seemed, even after not seeing each other, after being enemies, for over a decade.

He knew that Shawn never meant for things to get this far, despite his outburst when the key fell out. Heck, maybe even Hart didn't mean for things to get this far. But they did, and Hunter felt like all he could do was watch as Shawn fell away. He loved Shawn so much; he couldn't imagine life without him. But at the same time, he didn't want Shawn to stay with him because he felt obligated to.

Hunter did his best just to remain his friend while he was still with Bret; he kept his feelings hidden, wanting Shawn to be happy. Once the break up happened, and Shawn's issues with his back became worse and worse, Hunter didn't care if he ever ended up with Shawn; he just wanted him healthy and happy again. He never planned on getting together with Shawn, but then, in 2002, Shawn asked him out. When he stopped pining for it, it was suddenly thrown into his lap- and it was the happiest moment of Hunter's life.

But Hunter knew that, if Shawn didn't want to stick around, if Shawn didn't want to be with him, then the last seven years would be soured by a future of pent up resentment and hate. Hunter rubbed his palms together, wishing there was a way he could somehow fix this situation, for both him and Shawn. But there was nothing.

Hunter gritted his teeth and clamped his hands together. He bowed his head and, under his breath, he said, "I don't know how these things usually work. It's my partner who usually talks to you. It's not that I don't think you exist, in whatever way you do- it's just, you know, you've done little to prove to me that you do anything other than laugh at us. I know everything I did, I clawed my way for it; there was no divine intervention, no damned providence, not even when I most needed it.

"But I really need some guidance now, and Shawn says you help him- so maybe I'm wrong about you. I'm hoping I am, because I don't have any idea what to do. Come on, throw a guy a bone. Point me in the right direction. I do love Shawn, I really do- but I never want him to look at me and wonder 'why aren't you Bret'." Hunter felt his eyes burning, and he damned himself for being so weak. "What the hell am I supposed to do? What do you want from me? Come on, give me a hint, big guy. Just one, I'll figure it out from there. Just one hint."

Hunter held back the need to just punch the closest thing; he wanted to take his tension out on something, anything. He just rubbed his eyes and stood up, grabbing the first pair of jeans he found and throwing them on; he had to clear his head. He had to do something. He walked, not caring where he was going; he just kept moving, hoping he'd find his answer some way or another.

* * *

He didn't remember how he got there, or knocking on the door. He didn't remember everything he did before deciding to go there, or how many drinks it took before he decided to go there at all. But later on, he knew he would remember the look on Bret's face, seeing him at the door, half drunk and sleep deprived. "Look, if you're here to start something again, get it through-"

Hunter shook his head. "Shut up for a minute, Hart. Just answer me truthfully."

Bret studied Hunter, trying to understand what was going on."What do you want, Helmsley?" Bret finally asked.

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

Bret sighed; he was going to start that again. And at three o'clock in the morning. "Listen, I'm tired and I have things to do later today. I just came here to-"

"I didn't ask you what you _came _to do, Hart. I don't care what your intentions were. I just want the truth about how you feel now. Do you still have feelings for him?" Bret stared for a moment, caught off guard by how Hunter sounded. It definitely wasn't the same as before. "Well, do you?" A big part of Bret told him to just tell Hunter to fuck off, but then Hunter said something that completely halted him.

"He might not admit it, and he might not want it, but he still has feelings for you. I can tell when he looks at you. It's the same way he looked at you all those years ago whenever you two weren't at each others' throats. It's the same way he looks at me now..." Hunter grabbed the door frame, trying to keep himself upright. "And you know what? If he was forced to choose, he'd choose me. Even if he loved you more, even if you were his soul mate or whatever, he'd choose me. I don't want him to do that, though. I want him to be happy. And if it's with you, then so fucking be it. I don't care. I just don't want to be his mistake, his regret." Bret gulped, and he grabbed Hunter's shoulder.

"Maybe you should go to bed," he said, not sure what else to do. "I'll call Shawn or someone-"

Hunter looked at him, and Bret was instantly silenced by the look. He wasn't sure how to react, not after having all that thrown at him. "Answer the question, Hart. Come on, be a man. Do you still have feelings for him?"

"Yes," Bret said quietly. Hunter just nodded; it was just an affirmation to what he already knew. As for Bret, admitting it was like total damnation. He didn't want things to be like before, when it was either sex crazed or angrily yelling at each other all the time. He knew he and Shawn didn't work, but he couldn't help it. He just felt happy around him.

"If he went after you, would you give him another chance?" Hunter asked.

"I don't know." And there it was; Bret couldn't stop it from slipping out. He had wanted to move on with his life, but now he was back in Shawn's web. And he had no idea which he wanted more; to be with Shawn or to finally move on with life.

"He has to face this, Hart. We have to force him to choose, and choose what he really wants... or we'll all be miserable." Hunter mumbled.

"Come on, Hunter," Bret said, "Let's talk about this after you get some sleep-" He reached out, but Hunter moved away. The sudden motion made Hunter stumble, and Bret grabbed him, keeping him from falling. _Wow, who ever thought I'd find myself here? _

"I lied, you know," Hunter said, still muttering, "I never planned to take him from you, really... I just wanted him to be happy. I still do."

"I know, Hunter." Bret pulled Hunter into the room, sitting him on the bed. "Just sit there. I'll call Shawn to come help you up stairs, okay?"

"He's got to really choose..." Bret shook his head in disbelief and decided that some water might be best too. Bret grabbed his phone and dialed Shawn's number, hoping he'd wake up, while he poured Hunter a glass of water. He gave it to Hunter and told him to drink up while the phone rang.

After a few rings, he heard a very tired, "D'ya know what time it is?"

"I do. Hunter needs you."

"What? Hunter needs me?" Shawn instantly seemed to wake up, the new alertness palpable over the phone. "I'll be there... where are you? Why are you with Hunter?"

"I'm not quite sure of that myself, Shawn." Bret took the cup from Hunter once he was done and went to pour him another cup. "Look, he's at my room- remember my room number? Just come down here. He's fine, nothing too serious, but he still needs you." He got the water to Hunter and hung up as soon as Shawn said he was on his way. Bret looked down at Hunter, who looked perfectly fine, but Bret knew there was something lurking deep underneath.

_How do I end up in these things...?_


End file.
